Animal trap



J. E. RUBY ANIMAL TM? May 31,1927. 1,630,969 I Filed Nov. 6, 1925 WITNESSES INVENTOR 071 IQ-bab Y/QW ATTORNEYS Patented May 31, 1927.

JAMES EDWARD RUBY, 0F WAYnoKA, OKLAHOMA.

' IMAL TRAP.

Application ifiled November 6, 1925. sena no. 67,341.",

, My invention relates to improvements in animal traps and it cons sts in the coinbinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention isthe provision of a simple, reliable and eflicient trap which is particularly well adapted for use in catching small animals, such as mice, rats and the like. I f Y A further object of the invention is the provision of a trap of the character described which can beset quickly, easily and safely but whichwhen set is adapted to be actuated as a result of pressure which has been applied at any point on a swingablef trigger plate which is of relatively great area for a trap of a given size.

Other objects and advantages Of tlle lIk vention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying V drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved trap, showingv the swingable spring pressed jaw in set. position,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the improved trap, showing in full linesthe swingable A spring pressed jaw in set position and showing in dotted lines the released position of the swingable aw,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section,

through the improved trap, showing in full lines the trigger plate and the swingable jaw in set positionsand showing in dotted lines the trigger plate and the swingable .jaw after the swingablejaw hasbeen' released. a i

The improved trap comprises a b tangular and as being formed with an upstanding flange 2 at one end thereof. This flange 2 has the upper end portionthereof formed with an inwardly extending sub- .stantially horizontal extension 3 which is.

7 located intermediate the length of the end flange 2 at the upper edge. of thelatter.

The extension 3 preferably has the free edge thereof convexly curved. This 6Xt61'l-,

, sion 3 constitutes astop or catch for a purpose to be presently described.

The base plate 1 also is formed with a pair of upstanding lateral ears twhich may be integral wanna flange 2 and arelocated adjacent tothe same end of the base a se plate '1 which is shown as being'substantially'rec platel as that which is'provided withthe flange 2. a

A triggerplat'e 5 has a length but slightly less than that of the base plate 1 and preferably is aswide as the base plate 1. This trigger plate is formed with a continuous upstanding marginal bead 0'1 flange 6.

The trigger plate 5 is fornied with a cut I plate will be disposed above'thebase plate in spacedv relation to the latter when both the trigger plate and the baseplate-are suband infull lines in Figure3.

on v the trigger plateareenlarged Vertically intermediate their length to produce a pair of opposite cars 10 having. aligned openings for the reception of atransver-se rod 11. A swingable jaw member comprises a pairofarms 12 which are joined at one end by a cross member 13,=the member 13 preferably being integral with the arms 12. The ex tremities of the arms12 are formed to.pro vide eye members 14: which encircle the rod 11 whereby the swingable jaw member rod 11 from position to overlie onev ap= proximately half-portion or the trigger plate as shown in Figure l and by; the full'lines in-Figures 2' andfi to position to overlie the remaining half portion of; thetrigger plate as shown b-y the dotted lines in Figures 2 and 8. The jaw member 12.1312

U shaped and the cross member 13 may be termed the web portion ofsaid swingalole jaw member. s A torsion spring 15. encircles the rod 11 and has one end portionthereof bearing against the upper face ofthetr-iggerflplate (rat the side of the latter that is nearest to, theprojection 3 onthe base plate,

whereby the trigger plate willbeswingingly attached. to the base plate. The trigger stantially horizontal, as shown in Figure 1 i The side portions of the marginal flange 6 i 7 1213'l2 may swingabout the axis of the may be considered" as being substantially 1 as indicated at 16. The opposite end portion of the torsion spring isindicated at 17 and extends at oneiside of the rod 11 longitudinally of the trigger plate for a short distance andthen is bent laterally 1 as V indicatedat 17 The end portion 17 engages with one of the arms 12 of-theswing v able jaw member and bears againstthe underside of that arm of the swingablejaw member whensald sw ngable jaw member 1s in position to overlie-the portion of the trigger plate that is next to, the'flangefl, as shown in Figure 1 and by the full lines in Figures 2 and 3. The torsion spring 15 therefore will tend gto'urge the jaw members 121312 fronithe position shown in Figure 1 and by the full lines in Figures 2 and 3 to'th'e positionshown by the dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3. V

' The arms 12 of the swingable jaw member areofsuflicient length to cause the transverse member 13 of-said swingable jaw to be'positioned underneath the edge portion of the stop or catch 3 when the jaw member has beenswung to the position shown by the full lines in the drawings and the trigger plate'5' has been raised'to position to be sub-v stantially parallel to the base plate '1 as best seen in'Figure 3. The swingable jaw memv ber is prevented by the stop 3 from swinging I to the position that is indicated by the dotted 7 lines in Figures 2 and 3 as a result of the q actuation of the spring] 15 until the free end portion of the trigger plate shall have the full line'position of Figure 3 to the dotted linevposition of'the same figure the web been depressed suflicientlyto permit the web portion of the swingable aw member to move past the edge of the stop 3. When the free.

endof the trigger plate has been swung from of the swingable jaw member will be 'released from'the stop 3 andthe member will swing from the full :line position ot Figure 3" same figure.

to the dotted line position of the "which may extend onto the' triggerplatein the path of movement'of the swlngablejaw leased from the'stop 3 will be caught be-' member at the time the jaw member is retweenjthe descending swinging jaw member and a'portion of the rimflange 6 of the trigger plate and will be firmly gripped. It

' therefore will be obvious thatthe swingable *jaw'rnember may be released as a result of pressure that is applied by any portionof fan animal against any part of theftrigger .plateand that therefore the improved trap will be particularly well adapted. for catch 'ing animals when the trap is placed in a run-way of such animals- The portion of Ythe 'trigger plate that is. remote from the 7 flange 2 of the base plate has a tongue 18 struck upwardly therefrom, the point of the tongue 'being'turned in the direction oft-he flange 2 and a suitable bait may .be sup- Any portion of'an animal ported on this tongue or between the tongue and the trlgger plate. However, as pointed out in the'foregoing, it is not necessary that the animal actually touch the bait'm order that the spring jaw shall be released although of course the provision of a bait that w placed as desired.

Iclaim:- v .1. A trap comprisinga base plate,a trig ger plate havingv awidth approximately swingingly' attached to the base plate atone end of the latter, a spring pressed jaw carried by said trigger plate, and a stop supported on said base plate at said one end of the latter, said stop being adaptedito be engagedrby said springpressed jaw when said equal to that of the base platexand being spring pressed jaw 1s jin "set,position to,..

releasably holdlthe free end of thetrigge'r plate above the base plate andto releasably hold thespring pressed jaw against swinging ,fro1n set position against the trigger plate.

" A trap comprising a'base plate having an upstanding flange at one .end extending the full width'of' the base plate, a pair of cars extending itrom the ends "of said flange along oppositeside edges ofthe adjacent end of saidbase plate, a transverse rod extending between said ears above the plane of said base plate, a trigger plate pivotally supported at one end on said rod, said flange having an lnwardlyfextending stopxat its upper edge intermediate the length of the flange, and a substantially U-shaped spring pressed jaw having arms pivotally supported at their extremities on said trigger plate intermediate the length of. the latter, said jaw having a web portion engageable under said stop when the free end of said trigger, plate has been raised above the plane of said base plate and adaptedlto lie-dis engaged from said stop when the trigger raised position toward I plate is swung from said base plate. 7

3. A trap comprising a base plate hav ng an upstanding flange at one end extending the full width of the base plate, pair of? ears extending from the ends of said flange along opposite "side edges of the adjacent end of said base plate a transverse rod extending between said ears above the plane of said base plate, a trigger plate pivotally supportedvat one end on said rod, said flange having'an inwardly'extending stop'at its upper edge intermediate the length, of the flange, and a substantially U-shaped spring pressed jaw having arms pivot-ally supported at their extremities on said trigger plate intermediate the length of the latter, said jaw having a Web portion engageable under said stop when the free end of said trigger plate has been raised above the plane of said base plate and adapted to be disengaged from said stop When the trigger plate is swung from raised position toward said base plate said trigger plate having a Width 10 approximately equal tovthat of said base plate and said trigger platehaving ears at the sides of the first named end portion of the trigger plate, said lastnamed ears having alined openings through which said rod 15 extends. 

